Apparatus for temporary storing and exhibition of carpets



1%1 11, 1210 D. VOGEL 3,495,115

APPARATUS FOR TEMPORARY STORING AND EXHIBITION OF CARPETS Filed Jan. 24, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 12 2O 12 22 2O 1 22 j f 21 3o 1 I,

Feb. 17, mm D. VQGEL 3495mm APPARATUS FOR TEMPORARY STORING AND EXHIBITION OF CARPETS Filed Jan. 24, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

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APPARATUS FOR TEMPORARY STORING AND EXHIBITION OF CARPETS Filed Jan. 24, 1968 4- Sheets-Sheet 3 Feb. 17, 1970 D. VOG EL 3,43%

APPARATUS FOR TEMPORARY STORING AND EXHIBITION OF CARPETS Filed Jan. 24, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

United States Patent 3,495,715 APPARATUS FOR TEMPORARY STORING AND EXHIBITION OF CARPETS Dieter Vogel, 162 Rudolfstrasse, 56 Wuppertal-Barmen, Germany Filed Jan. 24, 1968, Ser. No. 700,139 Claims priority, application Germany, Jan. 24, 1967,

V 32, Int. Cl. A47f 3/08, 7/16 US. Cl. 2111.5 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to an apparatus for temporary storing and displaying of carpets.

Practically different possibilities exist to display carpets to a purchaser. The generally most conventional presentation of carpets takes place such, that carpets are disposed in a staple in accordance with their sizes. For observation of the carpets in this staple, it is conventional that, starting from the top, each carpet is turned over on itself, whereby then each time a part fact of the decor of the carpet disposed therebelow can be seen. The higher thereby the staple of carpet, the smaller is then by the manner of manipulation of the turn-over of the carpets the face to be observed of the carpets disposed further below.

Also, carpet observation frames have been known, in which on a common vertically disposed swinging axle a horse-like carrying member is disposed which has clamping devices, into which two carpets can be suspended back to back. In such display frames, the members carrying the carpets can swing about the suspension axis, so that both carpets can be observed on their decor side. These devices have indeed the advantages relative to the method of observation of carpets in a staple, that the total carpet face as to its decor can be seen. The drawback of these devices resides, however, in the fact that in this manner, suspension-secured carpets can never be observed in their lying use position, which should, however, be a presumption for the purchaser.

In recognition of the drawbacks in the known presentation-types and devices of carpets, it is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the temporary storing and display of carpets, wherein a device is created which makes it possible for the first time, to observe a carpet in its lying use position over its full area extension.

It is another object of the present invention toprovide an apparatus for the temporary storing and displaying of carpets, wherein a plurality of supporting frames each receiving spread carpets are disposed in horizontal planes arranged in stores above each other and that conveyors are provided which lift each of the supporting frames from lower observation plane close to the floor into a storage plane with distance above the observation plane and to lower the same again.

This observation frame for carpets characterizes itself in an extremely advanced manner relative all known devices. Compared with the manual turning over of the carpets in a staple of carpets, this device has the advantage that, firstly the manual labor is completely eliminated, secondly, this apparatus has for the first time the advantage that each carpet can be observed by the purchaser over the full face in its lying use position, and thirdly, the apparatus offers also relative to the handling of the transfer of the carpet from one storage position into another storage position decisive advantages. This apparatus could be designed under circumstances such, that a control device served by the purchaser or observer of the carpets can be operated for the transfer movement of the supporting frame receiving the carpets.

Relative to an observation device for carpets with horselike swingable frames in which the carpets are disposed vertically suspended, the present apparatus has the advantage that each carpet can be observed in its lying use position. Also the previously unavoidable pressure places on the carpets by the clamping devices on the swinging frames are eliminated.

But not only in consideration of the handling, but also in the now appreciably more favorable observation manner of the carpets, the present apparatus offers decisive advantages, yet beyond that, it constitutes also in a structural connection a solution most suitable for practical purposes.

In addition to the structural simplicity, it is also characterized by its reliable effect in relation to the movement of the supporting frames from a lower observation plane close to the floor into a storage plane at a distance thereabove.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the temporary storing and displaying of carpets, wherein for the movement of the supporting frame, within the range of each corner of the supporting frame, a pair of vertically disposed and rotating conveyor rods are provided, mounted within the frame support and equipped at least on parts of its axial length with a threaded flat winding control path extending vertically and driven for rotation, whereby a frame connector cooperates with their control paths and each being connected with the carrying frame and projecting relative to the latter, wherein the conveyor rods can be designed as tubes, on the outer face of which the thread control paths can be radially extending in screwlike shaped windings on the outside.

It is, thereby, of particular advantage, if always one of the two conveyor rods of each pair of conveyor rods is equipped as a supporting frame storage rod only in the lower and in the upper end range with flat-threaded control path windings of a number corresponding with the number of the supporting frames to be received, while the center part of the supporting frame storage rods is free of the control path and if furthermore the other control rod of each pair of control rods is designed as supporting frame transmission rod from the lower to the upper storage exclusively in the center part flatthreaded control rod windings of a greater pitch relative to the windings of the supporting frame storage rod.

The design and the structure of the supporting frame conveyor means is so far highly suitable, as each of the conveyor means applied here assumes only one task. Either the conveyor rods serve only the conveyance and reception of the supporting frame within the storage range, or they are exclusively used for the purpose to transform a carpet already observed in its supporting frame into a storage either upwardly or downwardly. As to function, the separation of the tasks is of importance not to be underestimated. In addition, it has to be added that the two conveyor rods of the pair of conveyor rods are driven with different rotary speeds such, that always the supporting frame storage rod of each pair of conveyor rods are driven at reduced speed relative to the supporting frame transmission rods.

Due to the fact that supporting frame storage rods of each pair of conveyor rods are driven with lowest speed relative to the supporting frame transmission rods, thus speed reduced, the supporting frame supporting rods are driven with lower rotary speeds than the supporting frame transmission rods. This is chosen so intentionally, because by this arrangement it is brought about, that at the moment where a supporting frame, for instance, from the lower storage--after the observation of the carpet-is to be transmitted to the upper storage, so that the next carpet in the lower storage can be observed, can be transferred within a comparatively short time by the supporting frame transmission rods driven with greater rotary speed. Also, it is then of advantage if the rotary speed, on the one hand, and the pitch of the one thread flat winding control paths on the supporting frame transmission, on the other hand, is chosen such, that relative to the rotary speed in the pitch of the flat control path of the supporting frame-storage rod, that this fast transmission is possible. Pitch and rotary speed of the supporting frame transmission rods should be chosen such, that in the time in which a supporting frame should be transmitted from one to the other storage, a next supporting frame with carpet is already disposed in the feeding by the supporting frame storage rod in the observation plane already on the transmission point be tween the supporting frame storage rods and the sup porting frame transmission rods.

If this ratio between the drive speed of the conveyor rods and the pitch of the fiat thread control paths is chosen such, then it is assured that an operation free of friction and without any difficulty can be performed without observation waiting time. On the supporting frame supporting rods so many threads should be provided suitably as supporting frames also assumed as storage. The pitch of flat-thread control paths can be thereby so weak and the drive speed can be chosen so low that with one rotation of the supporting frame storage rods, a plurality of revolutions of the supporting frame transmission rods are performed, so that in cooperation with the greater pitch of the control paths .of these rods, a kind of fast speed transmission is obtained.

Furthermore, within the framework of the present invention, it is suggested to drive all pairs of conveyor rods by a common drive, whereby on the .one hand, all supporting-frame-storage-rods are coupled together for a joint drive as one drive group by means of a reduction gear by a joint drive chain or the like, while, on the other hand, also all supporting frame transmission rods are likewise coupled together for a joint drive as a second drive group by a joint drive chain, whereby the drive chains of both conveyor rods drive groups are disposed in planes on top of each other.

By this practical proposition of the present invention, it is brought about that with a single drive unit both conveyor rod groups can be driven, nevertheless, with different rotary speeds and thereby the effect aimed at by the present invention is obtained. The supporting frame transmission rods running faster relative to the supporting frame storage rods can, for instance, be driven with the full number of revolutions of the drive motor, while the supporting frame storage rods can be driven at a reduced speed by means .of a reduction gear relative to the supporting frame transmission rods.

In order to provide now a simple, however, particularly effective drive coupling between the supporting frames, on the one hand, and the supporting frame conveyors, on the other hand, it is suitable, if the supporting frame connectors diagonally projecting relative to the supporting frame corners can cooperate with the thread control paths of the supporting frame storage rods as well as with those of the supporting frame transmission rods, for instance, such that on each connector .on both sides of a center portion extending between each pair of conveyor rods a running roller is disposed radially in the direction towards each conveyor rod and corresponding to the supporting frame position either engages the storage windings of the supporting frame storage rods or the fast speed control paths of the supporting frame transmission rods.

Due to the proposal of the present invention, each supporting frame is moved equally in the particular conveyance direction, since it has at each corner such connector. On the other hand, connectors, in accordance with the present invention, provide the possibility to render them effective selectively with one or the other conveyor rod. Since the connectors have on a center part in opposite arrangement a running roller each, of which always one of the control rods cooperates with one of the control paths of the conveyor rods and remains in each supporting frame always in mesh with the conveyor means by means of its connectors with the conveyor means.

If now a supporting frame is disposed within the range of the storage staple, then one side of the connector engages with its running roller into the screw thread control paths of the supporting frame storage rods, while in the transmission range between one and the other storage this running roller runs out of the screw thread control paths of the supporting frame storage rods, however, the running roller of the connector disposed on the other side is assumed by the screw thread control paths of the supporting frame transmission rods.

In the transmission range, the running roller, which at first was in engagement with the screw thread control paths of the supporting frame storage rods now runs idle in the thread-free center portion of the supporting frame storage rods and enters again its screw-thread control paths upon transfer from the supporting frame transmission rods to the supporting frame storage rods. Thus, the connector with both its running rollers is exchangeably used double-sided depending upon the position of the supporting frame.

In order to provide now for all frames a safe arrested guide, it is proposed to support the connectors each at its free end preferably rollingly on a vertical counter bearing. These vertical counter bearings can be formed as upright angular supports or the like, while the rolling support in these angles each connector can have additionally at its free end a running roller.

The supporting frames themselves can have a substantially Z- or similarly designed cross-section, as well as a covering on which the carpet is loosely supported. It does not receive thereby any pressure points, as it is the case with clamping of carpets into the swinging members of known carpet display devices.

In summary, it can be stated that the present invention brought about with simple, however, highly effective means a manipulative simple and for the observer extremely favorable device for the displaying of carpets, which device has in relation to all known devices decisive advantages.

With these and other objects in view, which will be-.

come apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view only of the apparatus frame with a supporting frame, as well as its conveyor rods, whereby the drive for the conveyor rods is omitted for the purpose of a better demonstration;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the assembly without supporting frame, however, with complete drive of the conveyor rods;

FIG. 3 is an elevation of a pair of conveyor rods with connectors shown in the drawing in different positions, of which one is disposed in the lower and the other in the upper storage part, while, finally, the third connector is arranged in the transfer range; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a supporting frame with a covering.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, the carpet display frame comprises at first a bottom side ground frame 10, at the four comers of which is disposed each an upwardly directed counter bearing support 11, in the embodiment shown by example as an angle iron. These angle supports 11 are connected to each other around at their upper end by connectors 12. On the bottom side ground frame a drive motor 13 (FIG. 2) is provided at one point from which motor 13 drive chains 14 and 15 emerge. Furthermore, in the ground frame 10 is disposed a reduction gear including two chain wheels 16 and 17 disposed axially on top of each other. These chain wheels 16 and 17 are mounted on a support 18 secured to the ground frame 10.

Within the range of each frame structure corner is disposed a pair of conveyor rods 19 and 20 mounted in bearings 29 of the frame structure 10-12, which conveyor rods 19 and 20 are formed as rotating driven tubes and have on their outer face 19a and 20a, respectively, control paths 21 and 22, which are disposed like a screw line. Each conveyor rod 19 and 20 has at its lower end a chain wheel 30, which is in engagement with one of the two drive chains 14 and 15.

Always one of the two conveyor rods, for instance, the conveyor rod 20, serves here as support frame storage rod and has merely in the lower and in the upper range screw-like shaped control paths 21. The number of windings of these control paths 21 correspond with the number of the supporting frames 23 to be received in this range and equipped with carpets. The rod range between the lower and upper control paths 21 is thereby free of a control path.

The other conveyor rod 19 of each pair of conveyor rods 19 and 20 has exclusively at its center portion of the height of a screw-line shaped wound control path 22, while its upper and its lower end is formed free of a control path. Also the pitch of this control path 22 is larger than the pitch of the control paths 21 of the supporting frame storage rods 20.

The supporting frames 23 receiving the carpets are designed such, that they have at about rectangular surrounding configuration a substantially Z-shaped crosssection, whereby always one leg 23 of the Z-shaped profile serves as a securing leg for supporting frame connectors, while, on the other leg 23b a supporting frame covering 25 is retained which serves as a carpet support base.

At all four corners of each supporting frame 23 is disposed a connector diagonally projecting therefrom. On both sides of the center portion is arranged a running roller 26 and 27, respectively, which point in opposite directions radially to the conveyors 19 and 20 and which cooperate with the control paths 21 and 22.

If the supporting frames 23 are arranged within the range of the storage planes then the running roller 26 of each connector 24 operate together with the control path curves 21 of the supporting frame storage rods 20, while the other running roller 27 slides past the part free por tion of the conveyor rods 19, which part is free of control paths. This converter roller 27 engages only then the control path 22 of the supporting frame transmission rods 19, when this frame 23 has been transformed from one storage plane into another storage plane.

In this transfer range slides then the running roller 26 on the part of the support frame storage rods free of a control path. At the free end of each of the connectors 24 is arranged a further supporting roller 28, which supports itself on the counter bearing supports 11 in order to arrest safely each supporting frame in the frame construction 10-12.

All supporting frame storage rods 20 form a joint drive group and are connected together by means of the drive chain 14 guided over a gear reduction drive 16, 17, while all supporting frame transmission rods 19 are connected together by means of the drive chain 15 and thereby form a second drive group. In this drive group no reduction gear is inserted, so that the conveyor rods 19 are driven faster relative to the conveyor rods 20.

The operation of this apparatus during the carpet display can now be performed, for instance, in the following manner: If it is assumed, that all supporting frames 23 equipped with a carpet are within the range of the control paths 21 in the lower storage plane close to the floor. The carpet, which is disposed on the supporting frame disposed uppermost on the storage staple can now be observed from the outside. If now this supporting frame 23 is transferred into the second upper storage plane, which is at a distance above the lower storage plane, then by the driving motor 13, which can be operated by means of a push button switching device or the like, both drive group can be put into operation, whereby all conveyor rods 19 and 20 are moved. All supporting frames 23 disposed in the lower storage are lifted for one pitch of the control paths 21, while the uppermost supporting frame 23 in the staple is released over the running roller 27 of the connectors 24 to the control path 22 of the supporting frame transmission rods and lifted. Since now the control path has, on the one hand, a greater pitch than the control paths 21 and since, on the other hand, these control rods 19 are driven faster than the control rods 20, the result is obtained that upon rotation of the supporting frame supporting rods 20, the supporting frame transmission rods 19 must perform several numbers of revolutions and thereby moving further forward the supporting frame uppermost in the staple at a fast speed over a part of the height, until the control path of these rods is at an end. If the end of the control paths 22 is reached, the supporting frame is released by its connectors and by its running rollers 26, respectively, again to the control paths 21 of the supporting frame storage rods 20.

During the next rising movement of a further supporting frame, the previous supporting frame runs already further for one pitch, so that the receiving control curve of the supporting frame storage rod is free again for the next frame. In this manner, it is brought about, that always one carpet can be observed in the observation plane on its entire face and after the observation can be released to the other storage,

It is to be understood that the same type of manipulation can also be reversed, that means if all supporting frames are in the upper storage plane and then are to be received successively in the lower storage.

The driving motor finding its application herein can be formed as a rightand left-running motor, so that all conveyors can be driven in two opposite directions, which is required for the rising and lowering of the supporting frames. For the operation of the driving motor, for instance, a push button switching device can be applied, which is operated either by the salesman or even by the purchaser or observer of the carpets, so that this device can be arranged also as a self-service device.

It is further to be understood that the shown and described embodiment is merely to be considered an example. One could rather, on the one hand, design the supporting frames, and, on the other hand, their conveyorand drive-means also in a manner different from those shown. Also the frame structure can be covered in a suitable manner. Also, an additional lighting source could be arranged in order to set suificient light to the carpet which is displayed and observed.

While I have disclosed several embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that these embodiments are given by example only and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the present invention being determined by the objects and the claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for temporary storage and displaying of carpets, comprising a frame structure of substantially rectangular configuration,

a plurality of supporting frames, each being adapted to receive a carpet in its spread-out state and disposed in superposed horizontal planes on top of each other in said frame structure,

conveyor means lifting each of said supporting frames from a low displaying plane arranged close to the floor into a storage plane disposed spaced apart and above said displaying plane and lowering again said supporting frame,

said conveyor means comprises a pair of conveyor rods disposed within the range of each corner of and mounted in said frame structure and have at least along parts of their axial length each a flat single threaded control path winding arranged substantially perpendicular thereto and driven for rotation, and

a connector cooperating with said control paths and connected with the corresponding of said supporting frames and projecting from the latter.

2. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said frame structure includes corner parts consituting vertical counter bearings, and

said connectors include rollers for rolling engagement with and support of said connectors on said vertical counter bearings, in order to arrest the corresponding supporting frame.

3. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, which includes cludes a roller at each end of said connector pointing radially to and engaging said windings of said storage rods and said windings of said transmission rods, respectively, complementary to the position of the corresponding supporting frame.

5. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said conveyor rods comprise tubes, and

said control paths extending radially from and set on the outside of the enveloping face of said conveyor rods in a screw-line shaped winding.

6. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 5, wherein one conveyor rod of each pair of said conveyor rods is equipped at a supporting frame storage rod only in the upper and lower end ranges with said fiat threaded control path windings.

the number of the latter corresponding with the number of said supporting frames,

the center of said supporting frame storage rod is free of said control path,

the other conveyor rod of each pair of said conveyor rods is equipped as a supporting frame-transmission rod for conveying from one end portion to the other end portion of said conveyor rods, with flat-threaded control path windings excluding in the center portion of said transmission rod, and

the pitch of said fiat-threaded control path windings of said transmission rod is greater than that of said flat-threaded control path windings of said storage rod.

7. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 6, which includes drive means for said supporting-frame storage rods and for said supporting-frame transmission rods, and

a reduction gear means in said drive means for said storage rods, in order to drive the latter at a lower speed that that of said transmission rods.

8. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said drive comprise a common drive for all said pairs of conveyor rods,

all said storage rods constituting a first driving group including said reduction gear means and comprising a first drive chain to constitute coupling driving means, and

all said transmission rods constituting a second driving group and comprising a second drive chain to constitute coupling driving means.

9. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 8, wherein said drive means of said drive groups are disposed in superposed planes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,466,876 9/1923 Gheen 211 X 1,619,900 3/1927 Warren 211-45 1,666,074 4/ 1928 Steinholber 21l45 2,596,291 5/1952 Thor 21145 X 3,315,813 4/1967 Schneider 2.111.5

DAVID H. BROWN, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

